Music to a Dream
by Faelinn
Summary: Ron and Ginny are captured by Death Eaters. Harry has to rescue them and finds help from an unexpected source.
1. Morning Tragedy

Author's Note: Possible slash in the future so watch out. WIP. Also, snuggles will be given out to reviewers because I love them so much.

Hermione Granger was happy most of the time when she was home. Her parents were kind and fairly wealthy though not to the point of excess. They gave her what they felt was reasonable and nothing more so she grew up fairly unspoiled. But, one day in the summer of her sixth year, she woke up, and all the happiness seemed to have been leeched from her life. She looked around her small room, glancing once at the stuffed animals lining her shelves, and then to the childish posters lining the pink walls, and was sickened. She tossed off the homemade quilt that covered her and stood up, her eyes wide and shocked. She wiggled her toes in the carpet and noted the pink chipping polish that decorated them. When she looked in her closet, she saw only children's clothes, remnants of what she now thought of as her past, though it was not so long ago.  
_I'm not a child. I'm not, yet, all I have strives to force me back into those times.  
_ Her hand lingered on an old shirt, ripped and dirty with age. It was a wonder that it had not been thrown out long ago. In a flurry of activity, she discarded her bunny-covered pajamas and pulled the ancient article of clothing on. She yanked a pair of old jeans out of the closet and cut at them viciously with a pair of safety scissors until they became a tiny pair of shorts. She pulled them on quickly and glanced in the mirror. She was pleased to see she did not look the least bit childish.  
She thought to herself, wondering what she should do, where she should go, for surely she could not remain here. Her pacing feet left quickly filled indentions on the floor. The room was still dark since it was fairly early but she did not dare turn on the lights for fear of her parents. What would they say if they could see her? She found herself laughing silently at the thought. She knew they would hear her if she opened the door, so that was obviously out of the question.  
And suddenly, the only thing she could think about was her friends and how much she missed being with them. All that was in her mind was returning to the school which had made her mature in ways her caring parents could not imagine. She plopped down on the bed, once more wiggling her feet in the soft carpet, thinking of escape. The walls seemed to close in on her and she gasped desperately as if all the air had been sucked from her.  
_ I have to get out out!_  
She forced herself to be calm, reminding herself that her behavior was not in the least logical. After a few moments , even though the walls still seemed unnaturally close, she was able to breath freely. She glanced over at her night table, complete with a unicorn lamp which glowed weakly. Beside it sat a small piece of wood, polished to a beautiful glow. Her hand closed around it hard enough to break a weaker instrument. A sense of security nearly overwhelmed her and she laughed at how ludicrous her behavior had been. Of course she couldn't leave her house at a time like this, with Death Eaters looking for any way to seize Harry. Why, if they had her, he would come running in an instant, away from the protection of his relatives' home. Away from home....  
_ Oh, crap!  
_  
Ron Weasley stretched slowly in his bed, enjoying the chance to sleep in, something he rarely had. The house was quiet, almost unnaturally so for a family with so many members. He sat up slowly, glancing around for one of his siblings. However, the house remained silent. He jumped to his feet and wandered out of the room, looking for signs of life.  
He headed to the clock, glancing at the locations it gave for his family. Apparently, the majority of the family had gone out for groceries, though it said Ginny was still at home. He looked around once more but the results were the same.  
_Probably outside.  
_ He walked to the door and opened it, wincing at the squeaky hinges. On the front steps was Ginny, wearing slightly rumpled pajamas and staring at the ground.  
"Hey," he said without any enthusiasm, dropping to sit on the step as well.  
She nodded slowly, continuing to stare at her bare feet.  
"We're supposed to meet Mum and Dad in Diagon Alley. They left a note saying to use the Floo," she said.  
Ron frowned for a moment then shrugged. He stood up, heading back in to make some breakfast before they went. Ginny lifted her head, trailing him with her eyes until he was out of sight. After a few moments, she found her eyes focused on the dirt once more. A trail of blood dropped from where she had cut her hand on a piece of glass, mixing with the dirt, with the mud.  
_ Dirty blood_, she thought. _Traitor's blood.  
_  
Hermione ran into the living room, no longer worried over the noise she might make. The strong oak door slammed behind her, the sudden noise resounding in the quiet house. She tried to force herself to be calm, tried to think carefully, but all her thoughts seemed to be racing in a whirlwind. The only one she could hold onto was the danger she and her friends were in, the danger Harry was in. She walked over to the fireplace and sat down before it, resting her hands on the front of it. Less than a month ago, she had arranged for her fireplace to be connected to the floo network, in case of emergencies. She felt this was a fairly good example of one of those times. She whispered the spell to light the fire and recited the needed words to reach Professor Dumbledore.  
Her breath came short and fast as she waited for him to appear and time seemed to slow to an eternity though it was but a few moments before the familiar, careworn face appeared in the burning flames before her. If there were a few more lines on the weathered brow or darker circles under his usually twinkling eyes, she was too distraught to notice.  
"Ms. Granger, is there something I can help you with?" he asked calmly.  
"Professor, the Death Eaters are going to try and lure Harry into a trap!" she cried.  
The old wizard did not show any signs of surprise but his eyes sharpened noticeably.  
"What leads you to believe this?"  
Hermione paused for a moment, thinking over the sparse evidence she had and how unlikely it all seemed. But, she knew she was right, she knew Harry was in danger.  
"Sir, what I am about to say may seem to be merely a silly girl's imaginings but I know Harry's in trouble," she began.  
"Don't worry, my dear. I trust your judgment."  
She smiled in relief and began to relate the tale, being careful not to leave out any important details. Dumbledore stayed silent while she spoke, though his face had become noticeably more solemn. Around his head, the fire crackled and snapped, but, the sounds did not distract him from the words she was saying. He was silent after she finished, his eyes lost deep in thought. Hermione, too, stayed silent, afraid to disturb the revered professor. Finally, the old man broke the silence.  
"My dear girl, I'm afraid your fears are not unfounded. Earlier this morning, the Ministry noticed the use of magic around this area. Powerful magic, not the sort any ordinary wizard would be using. Most likely, it was a variation on the Imperius spell, causing you to lapse into a more malleable state of mind," he said softly, his voice weak-sounding and tired.  
Her eyes widened, and she realized she had been almost wishing she had been wrong, that everything would be back to normal and Harry would be safe.  
"What are we going to do, profes-" she stopped as a thought struck her.  
Ron! Oh, please, not Ron!  
"Ron! They're going to target Ron next!"she cried.  
Dumbledore nodded wearily, his gray beard bobbing in the flickering flames.  
"I will, of course, send someone to the Weasleys' house immediately. In the meantime, stay hear and do not leave the house. I will send someone to get you and bring you somewhere safe. Tell your parents and pack your stuff. And don't worry yourself so much. It will be okay," he said comfortingly.  
She was silent, trying to hold back tears, but, she forced herself to nod, though every part of her felt like falling to pieces. Dumbledore smiled warmly and disappeared from the fire. She sank back down onto the floor and buried her face in her arms.  
  
Ron looked down at the partially burnt piece of toast before him and poked at it idly. Now that he had sat down for breakfast, he found he wasn't all that hungry. He sighed wearily and stood back up, picking up the dish and taking it to the sink. He munched half-heartedly on the toast as he tossed the plate in the sink. Behind him, the door opened.  
When he turned, he saw Ginny standing in the doorway, watching him.  
"Close the door or Mum will get mad," he said through a mouthful of toast.  
"We need to go, Ron. Now," she ordered imperatively.  
"Fine, just give me a moment, okay?" he said, finishing off the last bite of toast.  
She scowled angrily, and stamped on the floor impatiently.  
"Can't go in my pajamas and neither can you," he retorted.  
When she remained silent, he headed up the stairs to his room, preparing to dress. After a few moments, he heard her follow his example. He looked down at the pile of robes scattered on the floor and considered his options. After a moment, he plucked a barely wrinkled robe from the collection and began to change. After he was dressed, he ran his fingers through his hair until it stuck up in less directions. He wouldn't want to steal Harry's favorite hairstyle. He looked in the mirror for a moment, then ran down the stairs to wait for Ginny, who was always slower. However, his sister was already standing beside the kitchen table, fully dressed and ready to go.  
"Come on, let's go," she ordered.  
"Fine, fine. Geez, what's got into you?" he muttered.  
She glared at him angrily, and he reluctantly followed her to the fireplace. He stepped in first.  
"Diagon Alley!"  
A few moments later, they both stood in Diagon Alley. It was still early and there were very few people moving about. The two children hopped out of the fireplace and stepped into the room.  
"Where are Mum and Dad going to meet us?" Ron asked.  
"This way," Ginny said, leading him out the door and through a narrow sidestreet.  
He hurried to catch up, glancing around curiously at their surroundings, which were unfamiliar to him. All the doors seemed to be locked up tight and dark curtains covered the windows. All in all, it didn't seem to be the most welcoming of places. Ginny seemed oblivious to her brother's discomfort and continued leading him down the gloomy street.  
"Where are we?" Ron asked as Ginny stopped.  
They now stood before a small, dark building with no visible windows or openings besides the one door. It stood a small distance from the other houses surrounding it, making it appear isolated and alone. Ginny raised her hand and knocked on the door. After a few moments, it opened. Ginny walked in calmly but Ron hesitated.  
"Come on," she urged.  
He nervously stepped through the doorway and glanced over at the person who had opened the door. The door slammed shut behind him as he felt his heart constrict in fear. He turned to run but knew he was too late as he heard the familiar Latin words being spoken.  
  
Harry Potter woke up early that morning, startled by some sound or movement. He looked around nervously, his mind still paranoid even after all this time. Every time he looked around his dark room, he expected to see glowing eyes, Voldemort's eyes. He knew he was acting childish, he knew he was safe at the Dursleys', but, he still checked the whole room before he fell asleep. He still pulled the blanket over his head, as if the thin sheet could protect him from the curses he knew Voldemort would use.  
He sighed softly and stood up, moving to get dressed. Already, it was shaping up to be another boring day. He looked over at Hedwig, who was perched on the edge of the bed. She hooted disconsolately but flew back into her cage.  
"I'm sorry, Hedwig, but, Uncle Vernon would pitch a fit if he caught you out of your cage," he apologized.  
Downstairs, the doorbell rang. Harry listened as the door was opened and heard his uncle's angry mutterings and the visitor's calm explanations. The other voice was familiar.  
"Harry, get down here right now!" his uncle yelled.  
Harry quickly ran to the door and promptly stopped in his tracks. Remus Lupin stood in the door, nearly hidden by Uncle Vernon's bulk.  
"Professor, what's going on?" he asked, knowing Lupin would not have come unless something serious.  
"Harry, go get your stuff. I'll explain on the way," he said.  
Harry nodded mutely and ran back to his room.  
_ Don't let anyone be dead. Please don't let anyone be dead_.  
He returned to the living room with his bags and Hedwig and followed Lupin out the door. When they stood in the bright early morning sunlight, his former professor turned to him.  
"Harry, the Death Eaters have been trying to set a trap for you, using your friends as bait," Lupin began.  
"Are Hermione and Ron okay?" he asked, his face white with terror.  
"Hermione is safe. Professor Snape brought her to Order Headquarters. However, we haven't been able to find Ron. He wasn't at his home. We've found Molly, Arthur, and the other boys, but they left Ron and Ginny at home while they went shopping."  
"Oh, no, no, please...." Harry found himself whispering.  
Lupin wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulder and hugged him close.  
"Don't worry, Harry. We'll find them," he promised.  
"But.." he started to speak and than stopped.  
"Right now, we need to get you to safety."  
Harry nodded and followed Lupin as he led him to the magical car that awaited them.  
_ It's all my fault_, he thought.  
  
When they arrived at Grimmold Place, Harry was quickly ushered into the hall by Mad-Eye Moody, who glanced about wildly for any unwelcome guests. After a few moments, he closed the door and walked over to Harry.  
"Sir, is there any news about Ron?" he asked.  
Moody shook his head slowly and his eye rolled up into his head, leaving only the white visible. After Harry was silent for a few minutes, he turned and headed to the kitchen. Harry stood alone in the hall for a few moments and desperately tried to force away the tears that had risen to his eyes. His throat was hurting from choking back sobs and his eyes were beginning to sting quite painfully.  
Footsteps rang out as someone ran down the stairs and, a few moments later, Hermione had rushed into Harry's arms. He wrapped his arms around her, desperate for whatever comfort he could find.  
"Oh, Harry, I'm so glad you're okay," she sobbed.  
In the darkness of the hall, the tears running down Harry's own face were virtually hidden. He stroked her bushy hair gently and wished he knew what to say.  
"Hermione..." he began.  
She looked up at him quickly and wiped at the tears that streaked down her face. He became silent again and stared down at the floor. She reached out and grabbed his hand, effectively trapping him when he tried to turn away.  
"Harry, it's not your fault," she said.  
He glanced at her, surprised she had guessed the thoughts that had been running through his mind. She shook her head fondly at his blatant look of shock and squeezed his hand tightly.  
"Come on upstairs and I'll tell you what I know. The Weasleys should be here within the hour."  
He nodded but couldn't help thinking of the two Weasleys he wouldn't be seeing. He followed her up the flight of stairs and allowed himself to marvel, for a moment, at the changes it had gone through since his last visit. Though still somewhat gloomy, it had lost a part of the menace it used to hold and, at times, seemed almost hospitable. However, these thoughts only reminded Harry of the situation his missing friends were in.  
They're probably in the cold and dark, alone and scared. All because of me, he thought.  
Hermione led him into the room she was occupying and sat down on the bed. She motioned for Harry to do so as well and pulled Crookshanks from where he lay to sit on her lap. She stroked his fur lightly. Harry had the feeling it probably helped her to relieve some of the stress she was feeling. Harry relaxed against the bed as Hermione began telling him of the occurrences that morning.  
"So, does the Order have any ideas where the Death Eaters could have taken Ron and Ginny?" he asked as she finished speaking.  
"Not yet. They're not even sure how it was managed at all. There are no signs of fighting at the Burrow so I was thinking they might have been coerced into leaving like the Death Eaters tried to do with me," she said.  
He nodded and stood up as he heard the sound of the door opening downstairs. Hermione walked to the door and opened. After listening for a moment, she beckoned to him.  
"It's the Weasleys."  
He followed her down the stairs slowly and tried to force away the guilt that was rising inside of him. 


	2. Plots, Mongooses, and Coffee

A/N: This part's sort of silly. I blame it on Draco. Seriousness might return in the next part. It all depends on the reviewers, who I heart quite desperately.  
  
When Draco Malfoy awoke, the sun had just begun to shine, its light creeping through the heavy draperies that shaded his windows. He stretched slowly and reluctantly pushed the luxurious blankets aside. Only when he was on his feet did he remember the significance of this day. He got dressed quickly, though he was still sure to pick something that would compliment him. If a few moments could help him look stunning, then he was always willing to spend the extra time. He then proceeded to comb his hair until it was just perfect.  
He quickly glanced in the ornate full-length mirror, and, once he was satisfied with his appearance, he ran out the door into the hallway. He nearly ran into a house elf and glared at it furiously until it ran screaming. Mornings were never Draco's best times.  
When he reached the dining room, his father was already seated with a cup of steaming coffee. Draco stared at the cup for several minutes without moving from the doorway until his father let out a sigh and slid it across the table to Draco's accustomed spot.  
Draco smiled happily and ran to sit down. He wrapped his hands around the heavy glass and breathed in the scent gratefully.  
"I heard just recently that coffee is supposed to stunt your growth," Lucius Malfoy said casually.  
Draco paused mid-sip and stared at his father in horror.  
"You lie!"  
"Quite frequently," he replied.  
"But, you're joking, right?" he asked desperately.  
Lucius smiled evilly and turned his attention back to the Daily Prophet.  
"Ah, I see your evil plan now, and, it won't work! You're trying to convince me to give you back your coffee. You can't have it, it's mine, my own, my-"  
"If you start calling it 'my precious' you're going to St. Mungo's," Lucius said calmly.  
Draco glared at him hatefully and proceeded to sulk for the next few minutes. Lucius looked up occasionally but did not choose to speak. When Draco wasn't looking, he smiled slightly and shook his head, amused by his son's temper tantrums. He snapped his fingers, and a house elf quickly ran into the grand dining room. It cowered as soon as Lucius looked at it, using the tattered apron it wore as a shield.  
"More coffee," Lucius said.  
It quivered slightly, locked in place, until Lucius glared at it again.  
"Yes, sir, right away, sir," it whimpered and raced out of the room with its wispy hair flying about its face.  
"Such terrible service nowadays," Lucius said in a dissatisfied tone.  
"Did that nasty thing wet itself?" Draco gasped, staring at a puddle on the floor in horror.  
"So it would seem," Lucius muttered.  
Once more, the two lapsed into silence. Draco idly stirred his coffee, trying to create patterns in the swirling cream. After adding a bit more milk, he managed to create something that was quite similar to a mongoose, or at least what he thought a mongoose would look like, never having seen one himself.  
"Father, what does a mongoose look like?" he asked.  
Lucius rubbed his head slightly, feeling a headache coming on.  
"Draco, don't you have more important things to think about, such as today's objective?"  
"Good point. When are we leaving?"  
"As soon as that house elf brings my coffee," Lucius snarled impatiently.  
Draco stirred his coffee again and looked at the mongoose.  
"You don't suppose one of Potter's friends would know what a mongoose looks like, do you?" he asked.  
"They're going to be our prisoners, Draco, not some house guests, so don't start asking them about mongooses!"  
"Is it mongooses? I didn't think it was mongeese," he said with a bright smile specifically designed to annoy his father.  
The door creaked open slowly, and the house elf glanced about nervously. He crept up to Lucius and placed the cup on the table. After that onerous task was complete, he began to mop up the puddle which was merely spilled coffee.  
"Come along, Draco," Lucius said, rising to his feet with the cup held tightly in his hand.  
Draco let out an exasperated sigh and followed after his father, leaving the now empty cup on the table. To avoid observation, they left through the kitchen, sending the resident house elves into hysterics. Draco paused as they swept past the steaming stoves and sniffed. He grabbed a fleeing house elf by the ear.  
"Get me a chocolate muffin," he ordered imperiously.  
"Yes, Master Draco, sir," it whimpered, racing to do his bidding.  
Lucius snarled impatiently and glared at his impetuous son. Draco tapped his foot on the cold stone floor, oblivious to his father's dismay.  
"Draco, do you really need a snack?" he questioned.  
"Why, Father! Don't you want me to grow up big and strong? A growing boy needs regular meals to help him mature, especially if he drinks growth- stunting coffee," Draco answered sweetly.  
"Draco, just face it. You're going to be short," Lucius answered in an equally cavity-inducing tone.  
He glared at his father and snatched his muffin from the returning house elf. He ran ahead of Lucius to the back door and slammed it behind him.  
"Bloody drama queen, just like his mother," Lucius muttered.  
Shaking his head slowly, he walked to the door and listened at it carefully for a surprise attack from his child. After a distinct lack of suspicious sounds, he pried open the door carefully. Draco was sitting on the granite steps, munching innocently on his chocolate muffin. He looked up at his father blandly and stood up when his father beckoned for him to follow. They followed the twisting sidewalk through the yard, until they reached the entrance of the garden. The interior was hidden by a dense wall of shrubbery of all sorts, including several dangerous and painful types. An iron-wrought gate was the only means of entering, and it was covered by a particularly thorny variation of the common rose that would not allow anyone to touch the gate. Lucius pushed Draco in front of him.  
"Yes, Father?" he answered innocently.  
"Open your bloody garden, Draco," he snarled.  
Draco raised his eyebrows in mock surprise and shook his head slowly.  
"What'll you give me?" he asked.  
"I knew I shouldn't have let you build the stupid thing," Lucius muttered.  
"I'm waiting," Draco sang out.  
"What do you want?" he asked.  
"A turn at guarding the prisoners everyday."  
Lucius paused and thought for a moment. He had been considering giving his son such a position anyway so it was not as major of a demand as Draco obviously thought it was.  
"Fine."  
Draco stared in obvious shock. Lucius tapped his fingers on his cane impatiently, spurring his son into movement. The young wizard turned to the gate and pressed his pointer finger hard against a particularly vicious looking thorn. A drop of blood welled up, dropping to the ground the rose grew from. Very slowly, the plant receded, leaving the garden gate bare. Draco pushed the door open easily and walked through, followed by his father.  
A path made of circular, flat stones led through the garden, which held a wide variety of plants, though the majority were roses. At the center of the garden stood a large water fountain. In it was a statue of a sitting fairy with his head buried in his hands. Several climbing roses clung to the fountain, fed by the ready source of water.  
Draco and Lucius walked together to the far right corner of the garden which was nearly hidden by a vast overgrowth of plants. Sitting amidst the plants was a fairly nondescript pair of shoes. They both picked it up and the scenery quickly changed. They now stood in an alley beside a cozy looking house. When they peeked through a hole in the fence, they could see the window they were targeting.  
"Do you remember the spell?" Lucius asked.  
"Of course," Draco said imperiously.  
They began to speak the words in unison and the air grew heavy with tension. When they finished, they noticed a stirring from behind the window.  
"If it works, she should head straight into the trap. Now, the Weasleys are next," Lucius said.  
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Draco asked.  
He held out his hand, which held a small button, flashing the words, 'Potter Stinks'.  
"Are you sure Potter will know that's yours? I thought most of the Slytherins had one," the older wizard said.  
"They do, but Potter always blames me first," Draco said with a certain degree of satisfaction.  
  
The Weasleys all stood in a small huddle at the bottom of the stairs, silent but for the occasional sobs of Mrs. Weasley. Even Percy was there. Apparently, the tragedy had helped him put aside his feud with his family. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Hermione kept a tight hold on Harry's hand. Even through that minimal contact, she could feel the stress he was feeling.  
"Oh, Harry, Hermione, I'm so glad you're both okay!" Mrs. Weasley cried, wrapping them both in a fierce hug.  
Hermione glanced at Harry surreptitiously and noticed the pained look on his face. She gave his hand an encouraging squeeze, which he swiftly returned.  
"Do we know anything?" she asked gently.  
Mr. Weasley shook his head.  
"Nothing yet. Moody and a couple of the Order are searching both our houses for any signs of trespassing. They should be back within the hour.  
"So all we can do is wait while Ron and Ginny are in trouble?!" Harry exclaimed.  
Mr. Weasley nodded glumly. Harry looked down at his feet for a moment than back up at the two weary parents.  
"I'm sorry," he said, and left the room after freeing his hand from Hermione's grasp.  
She smiled apologetically at the Weasleys and ran after him. After a few paces, she heard two more sets following her. She glanced behind her and saw the twins, both of their eyes red from weeping but still looking determined.  
"Feeling guilty, huh?" one of them asked.  
She nodded.  
"Just like him."  
"Taking blame where none should be given."  
"A real martyr."  
"We'll have to set him straight.  
Hermione nodded and smiled, pleased with their support.  
  
Harry had retreated to the kitchen and sat slumped in one of the chairs surrounding the counter. For the moment, he was alone, but he knew Hermione would not be long in coming. She was always there to comfort him, even when he felt better alone. It was hard to forget his guilt when he was around her because Ron had never been far away from Hermione. Harry kept expecting to see his friend leaning on Hermione's shoulder and laughing, but he never was. Though Ron had only been missing a few hours, it had seemed to stretch into an eternity.  
The door to the kitchen opened slowly, heralded by a few squeaks and creaks. Harry looked up wearily, expecting one face but finding three. Fred and George grinned and walked through the door that Hermione held open. They pulled up three of the remaining chairs and promptly dropped into two of them. Hermione took the last chair and smiled at Harry.  
"What do you guys want?" Harry asked wearily.  
"You to stop sulking," one twin said.  
"I'm not sulking!"  
"Pouting, then," the other said.  
"I'm not pout-"  
"Yes, you are," the twins said in unison.  
Harry looked at Hermione for support. She shook her head mutely, trying to hide the smile that was creeping onto her face.  
"I have a reas-" he began.  
"Yes, we bloody well know your reasons-"  
"And we think they're bloody ridiculous."  
"Ron and Ginny could die because of me!" Harry cried.  
The twins let out identical sighs of exasperation.  
"Did you give them to the Death Eaters?"  
"No!"  
"Then how can it be your fault?"  
Harry paused and looked down at his feet than back up at the twins. He shrugged, unwilling to argue anymore.  
"Glad that's settled. No more melodramatic crap, right, Harry?" the twins asked.  
"No," he said and smiled.  
"Oh, Harry," Hermione said and hugged him.  
The twins put up with the tender moment for a few seconds but quickly lost patience.  
"Now, for the important stuff, like going to rescue our siblings," the one who Harry thought was George said.  
Hermione turned to stare at him, her eyes wide with shock.  
"Us? Shouldn't we let the Order handle this?" she asked weakly.  
The twins shook their heads.  
"I don't think they have any idea what to do so it's up to us," Fred said.  
"But we don't even know where they are!"  
"So we'll have to look for clues. The Order has to have some idea where they are. That's what spies are for."  
"Professor Snape!" Harry exclaimed.  
"Where!?"  
"No, Snape must know," he explained.  
"Good point, Harry," Hermione said.  
The twins looked at each other as if communicating some shared thought. In unison, they looked at the other two.  
"One problem. No one's seen Snape in over a week."  
"He went to a meeting to spy and never came back."  
Harry buried his face in his hands for a moment.  
"Do you think they killed him?" he asked, still speaking through his hands.  
"We don't know. No one will talk about it around us and Mum's on the lookout for the Extendable Ears."  
Harry put his hands down and grasped Hermione's shaking hand. She threaded her fingers through his, holding on tightly.  
"Maybe the searchers will find something," Hermione said.  
"Maybe."  
"Of course they'll find something," Fred said.  
"Harry can't come to the rescue if he doesn't know where to go," George continued.  
"And they want Harry to come to the rescue," Fred finished.  
Hermione gasped and squeezed Harry's hand in excitement.  
"They're right, Harry! There'll have to be some clue! See, Harry, there's still hope."  
Harry nodded but stayed silent, wondering if there was hope for all the missing. If Snape had been found out, he was dead.  
  
When Ron awoke, everything was black and not just any normal nighttime black. It was the black of underground places, where no light ever shone. It was the sort of black that held dripping water and rusty chains. It was the sort of black which hid rats, and crawly things, such as **spiders**. Ron hated spiders.  
He shivered in the dark as a drop of water hit his head.  
_Great. Dripping water_, he thought. _Now for the chains and spiders. Oh, please don't let there be any spiders_.  
It took him a few more moments to forget the spiders and remember what had happened. He groaned aloud, realizing how dire the situation was.  
_ I should have known something was up with Ginny. But how could it have been the Imperius curse? I thought she was taught how to defend against that last year. All the fifth years were supposed to learn.  
_ He shrugged mentally, realizing he was unlikely to find a solution here. First, he had to find Ginny and figure out where they were. He felt around in the dark, cringing slightly as he imagined horribly poisonous spiders. He touched a broken piece of chain fastened to the wall, but it obviously wasn't used anymore.  
"Ginny?" he whispered quietly, afraid to wake up any sleeping guards or spiders.  
A soft moan answered him and he quickly traced it to what might be the far corner of the room. It was too dark to see any shape so he began to slowly move alone the wall, keeping his hand on it the whole time. After about two feet, he felt a web-like substance brush his hand. He snatched his fingers away, listening for the scitter-scatter of eight-legged creatures. There was no sound, but he did not return his hand to its place. Instead, he walked in a reasonably straight line until he reached the corner. He felt a soft surface meet his shoes and another moan greeted him. He reached out his hand and felt human hair and a human face.  
"Ginny, wake up," he whispered.  
She stirred slightly, but did not awaken.  
"Ginny, please."  
He felt the soft flutter of eyelashes against his skin and the quickening of warm breath. He sighed in relief and patted her head reassuringly.  
"Ron?" she whimpered.  
"Yeah, it's me," he answered.  
She sat up slowly and looked around, though it couldn't have told her much of their current surroundings.  
"Where are we?" she asked.  
He shrugged than realized she couldn't possibly see him do so.  
"I don't know. Probably Malfoy Manor. I don't know if you remember, but the Malfoys kidnapped us."  
"I-I remember a little. Ron, I'm so sorry I got us into this," she cried.  
Ron patted her head again, trying to calm her.  
"It's not your fault. You weren't yourself."  
"What did they use on me, Ron? It wasn't Imperius. I could resist that. This was different."  
She shivered and pulled her cloak around herself. Ron sat down beside her and leaned against her shoulder.  
"How are we going to get out?" she asked.  
Ron's eyes widened, realizing she was depending on him.  
Oh, crap. I have no idea, he thought though he was smart enough to keep his doubts silent.  
"I'm not sure, yet. Can you tell if there's a guard?" he asked.  
He felt her shake her head.  
"No, I can't see anything."  
"We'll just have to wait until we learn some more."  
"Do you think they'll hurt us?" she asked timidly.  
Ron was silent for a moment as he thought about their situation. It didn't take him long to realize why the Malfoys must want them.  
"No. They can't hurt us, not if they want Harry," he said weakly.  
He heard Ginny gasp in horror and clap her hands to her mouth.  
"Oh, no. We're bait and Harry will fall right into their trap," she cried softly.  
"Hopefully, Hermione will keep a reign on him and prevent him from doing anything stupid and heroic," he said.  
"Has she been able to before?" she asked curiously.  
He thought for a moment.  
"No," he said glumly.  
_ And if Harry doesn't rescue us, will anybody?,_ he wondered. 


End file.
